Grave-marker



Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

L. M. SULLIVANr GRAVE MARKER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 13. 1920 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS lxllllll ZIQ X 1 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD M. SULLIVAN, OF' GIRARD, KANSAS.

GRAVE-MARKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

Application filed September 13, 1920.. Serial No. 409,881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, LEONARD M. SULLIVAN, a citizen. of the Unlted States, residing at Girard, in the county of Crawford and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grave-Markers, of which the following is a specificatlon, reference being'had therein to the accompan ing drawings.

This invention relates to grave markers and it has for its object to provide a device of this nature adapted to be formed of sheet metal and arranged to receive and retaln an identification card in such manner that the latter will be firmly held in place and will be rotected from the weather. It 1s designed to provide an article of the character indicated which may be manufactured at a comparatively small cost, may be easlly and quickly placed in position and W111 last for years without any expense for upkeep.

Further advantages and objects of the 1nvention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of a grave marker constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a central, horizontal sectional view.

Fig. 4 is a verticalsectional view upon line 4.4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view, and

- Fig. 6 is a detailed view of a cross adapted to be mounted upon the top of the grave marker.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing 5 deslgnates the back plate and 6 the front plate, these plates complementally constituting the body portion of the grave marker. These plates are preferably formed of sheet metal and are .hingedly connected to each other at 7. The

front plate-6 is provided with an 0 ening 8 and the metal about the edge of sai opening is bent to form an offset hp 9 within which a glass cover plate 10 and an identification card 11 are received. The back plate 5 is preferably struck inwardly to form ribs 12 which act to engage the card and press it firmly against the glass 10 and lip 9. The front plate 6 is provided with a tongue 13 that is adapted to be bent over the rear plate after the identification card has been placed in position. The upper edge of the front late is provided with a rearwardly extendmg flange 1 1 which overlies the upper edge of the rear plate and prevents the entry of rain or snow between the plates. A supporting stake 15 which is preferably of channel. formation is riveted to the back plate. The lower end of this stake is pointed to facilitate its ready entry into the ground and the provision of the channel ribs 16 along the edges of the stake not only lend rigidity and strength to the stake but aid in giving the stake a firm hold in the ground.

The stake is preferably widened at its upper end and the flanges 16 at the widened part are bent inwardly as indicated at 16 to form a .channel 17 for the reception of the correspondingly shaped portion 18 of a cross 19 that is intended to be mounted upon the top of the grave marker.

The lettering shown upon the card in Fig. 1 is merely indicative of the use of the device. Any suitable lettering may be employed. While this grave marker is of general application it is particularly useful for marking the graves of soldiers and when employed for that purpose the card may be used to carry indicia showing the rank, arm of the service (whether infantry, cavalry, etc.) and the battle or battles in which the deceased participated or other like information.

It is understood that this invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but that it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or spirit of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A grave marker comprising front and back plates, means for connecting said plates tov hinge together at one end, a horizontal flange upon the upper edge of one of said plates which moves into position to overlap the upper edge of the other of said plates when said plates are brought together and secured by said retaining means, a retaining means at the opposite end, an offset lip upon the front plate surrounding a sight opening therein said lip being adapted to receive a glass plate and an identification card and a ground engaging stake fixed to the back plate.

2. A structure as recited in claim 1 wherein the ground engaging stake is of channel intimation and a cross adapted to enter the ehannel :tormed hy said stake.

In a grave marker a front plate having a sight opening therein and anonset lip surrounding said epening, a back plate to which the "taunt gilete is hinged at one end,

means for securing the free ends of the glates together a glass plate and a card e6 pted tc fit Within the ofi set lip ribs upon the back galate projecting toward the front te ts engage said eerd a flange upon the (mt plate everlapping the upper edge of me back free ends 01 the plates are secured together to prevent the 15 entry of the weather and a ground engagmg stake of channel formation riveted to the back late. 4. structure as recited in claim 3 wherein said stake is increased in width adjacent 20 its upper end and its edges are inturned and a cross having its lower portion of channel formation to engage in the channel formed by the upper part of the stake.

In testlmony whereof I hereunto afix my 25 signature.

LEONARD M. eULLIVAN. 

